First from our region, students of the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME) submitted a successful tender, which means we accomplished the terms of the competition. Currently our team has 50 student members, not only from the Faculty of Architecture but from other different faculties we accomplished. Our goal is to create an innovative solar building in which we apply our architectural and technical developments.

House of the (Rising) SunBloc ? the UK project for Solar Decathlon Europe

Green architecture in the UK is in its infancy. Although more advanced throughout Europe, the UK has yet to catch up. In order to raise awareness of the options available in relation to green architecture, renewable energy sources and the importance of energy efficiency ? organisations and associations must collaborate across industry to provide and educate. To confront these issues and develop solutions for this global issue, the Solar Decathlon Competition was created. Originally started in Washington 2009 by the US Department of Energy, the Solar Decathlon is a competition between universities from all over the world. Since that first competition, the event has grown into a huge environmental industry event with a European version of the Solar Decathlon, added to the bill in 2010. The European competition takes place in Madrid, with a huge number of large organisations taking part and sponsoring the competing teams to make their projects possible. In 2009, the main event attracted over 190,000 visitors during the ten-day period. Not only did it attract the attention of energy industry professionals, the media and academics, it also caught the eye of Government with visits from the Spanish Ministry of Housing, the ambassadors of competing countries and even the Prince of Spain.

Entrants are required to design and build a self-sufficient house, powered only by solar energy, and equipped with the latest technology that permits maximum energy efficiency. The houses are open to the general public, built on a plot known as the Solar Village, where they are judged on various environmental criteria. Participants are also required to organise a number of campaigns and events, in order to help raise awareness and educate the general public on sustainability and energy efficiency in our everyday lives.

Solar Decathlon Europe is organised by the Secretary of State for Housing and Urban Development at the Spanish Ministry of Public Works with the collaboration of Universidad Politécnica de Madrid and the support of the US Department of Energy. More information about the competition can be found on the Solar Decathlon Europe homepage.

The only UK entry

Out of all the universities that applied to enter Solar Decathlon Europe 2012, London Metropolitan University?s Team HelioMet is one of only 20 whose application has been successful and is the only UK entry. This means HelioMet has now proceeded to the main competition, and will be building its proposed house in Madrid, Spain, in 2012. Our student-led team from London Metropolitan University comprises from a range of disciplines in various departments such as the RIBA II postgraduate Diploma and MA Communications Management students, and is co-ordinated by the Faculty for Architecture and Spatial Design (ASD). So far, the design team has been working closely with consultants such as Adams Kara Taylor, Gardner & Theobald and BDSP Partnership. [..]